Game device.



W. G. FULTON & G. W. BUSGH.

GAME DEVICE.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1909.

1,008,898. PatentedNomM, 1911.

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GAME DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

Application filed March 22, 1909. SerialNo. 485,031.

To (115 whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM G. FULTON and CONRAD WV. BUsoH, subject of the King of Great Britain and citizen of the United States, respectively, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in game devices which comprise a board on which are mounted figures of various forms either detached or unattached, which board and figures are especially adapted to be used in connection with a movable disk which may be propelled across the surface of the board by the finger of the operator or other wise.

The especial object of the improvements which form the subject matter of this application is to provide a game device of the character stated which may be used in playing games simulating closely the well known game of baseball.

The especial object of the construction hereinafter described is to produce a game device that can be economically manufactured and which can be used by two or more players in succession; in which facilities are provided for keeping the points or score of the game, and in the use of which there is opportunity for the exercise of a high degree of skill.

A further object is to provide a game apbe used in connection with an ordinary table independently of a board especially prepared.

Having the foregoing and other objects of novelty and utility in view, we have produced the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing inwhichr- Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of our game device; Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, with the addition of a clamp to show the application of the device to a table top.

Referring to the details of the drawing, board to'which is ap plied a raised ledge or fence 6 having on its inner surface a rubber facing 7 It will be understood that this base board 5 may be dispensed with and the fence 6 secured directly to a table as 8 by a clamp 9 if desired, and that the rubber facing 7 may be omitted, and the fence 6 made of any desired height. Marked in any suitable way on the upper face of the board 5 is a diamond having sidelines 10 indicating foul lines, and sides 10 indicating outfield lines.

Within thisdiamond is a second diamond outlining the bases 12 which are placed at the angles of said diamond.

10 represents a 2 or 3-base. hit line.

Placed at intervals in the infield and outfield are circles 11 which may be represented by disks of clothpasted upon the face of the base board 5, or by circles which may be inscribed thereon or in any preferred fashion.

The players with the exception of the pitcher, are indicated by the members 13, and these may game board by lugs having pins fasten ing same to the board, or may be mounted on weighted bases 1 1 to permit them to be moved about to different positions on the board or support, said bases being of suflicient weight and area to retain the members in upright positions.

The pitcher represented by the member 13 is preferably formed to represent a player with one leg raised, thus providing a relatively large area between the two legs be secured directly to the for the purpose of allowing the propelled member. The

disk to reach the batting other leg of the pitcher is secured by lug 15 in the manner described.

17 represents a bat which is pivotally mounted on a pin 18 and is formed with a recess in which is housed a coiled spring 19 which surrounds the pin 18 and has one end secured in the bat and the other end in the bottom of the base board. The action of the spring tends to hold the bat 17 in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the pin 18 fixed in the board serving as a stop to limit direction given it by the spring.

20 represents a cylindrical disk of any suitable material which represents the base-.

board at an openball and is placed on the and is adapted to ing 21 cut in the fence 6, be propelled across the face of the board by the hand or finger of the operator, dotted lines on the board showing the course taken by the disk when it is accurately propelled. 22 and 22 represent respectively lozenges or blocks which are preferably made in different colors and may be arranged in squares outlined in the surface of the board on opposite sides of the home-base.

As illustrating one method of using our the movement of the bat in the improved game device, the various members 1313 constituting a team will be placed on the base board 5, inpositions corresponding to those usually assumed in the actual playing of a game. of baseball, or if desired, may be arranged in any other way agreed upon by the players, that is to say they may be put directly upon the circles 11 or adjacent thereto. One of the players of the game will apply his figure to the handle of the bat 17 in the manner indicated in Fig. 1 and by pressing on the handle retract the bat to the position indicated in full lines in said figure. The opposing player will place the disk 20 at the opening 21, and by striking it with his finger or in any other way that may be agreed upon, will cause the disk to slide across the board toward the bat. If his aim is accurate the disk will take the course indicated by dotted lines, pass between the legs of the pitcher 13 and when in position just before the home-base 12, the bat operator who represents the batsman in the game, will release the handle of the bat thus causing the latter to strike the disk and knocking it across the board toward the bases and field. The direction in which the disk will go after being struck by the bat will depend upon the exact position of the bat at the time it comes in contact with the disk and also upon the rotation on its axis of the disk. Each of the players will have their respective lozenges or counters and upon making a hit, a foul or ascore, will place the lozenges in the squares provided therefor, and the player making the greatest number of runs during the innings played will winthe game. Instead of using the lozenges to count fouls they may be used to count errors or base-hits or strikes or in any other manner agreed upon by the players.

By making the members 13 movable, there is opportunity for the display of skill in so placing them that the batsman will have great difliculty in making a hit that will count either for a base or a run. Should the disk be struck outside of the foul line 10 a foul would be counted against the batsman. If the disk should stop within the outer diamond without hitting a player a base hit would be called. If a disk should hit aplayer after being struck by the bat, it would be assumed that the ball would be caught and the batter would be out. After 4 three outs the batter retires and the person propelling the disk takes his place. The rules for using this device may vary to suit the desires of the players.

It will be apparent that the provision of players and lozenges, bat and propelled disk,

the figure and provided with an opening =1.

alining with a diagonal of said diagram, game pieces movably arranged upon said base, a batting member pivotally mounted in alinement with said opening and diagonal, and a piece adapted to be manually propelled through said opening in the ledge.

2. A game device comprising a suitable base, a diagram marked thereon comprising two rectangles having two adjacent sides and the included angle coincident, indicating diagrams consisting of groups of symmetrically arranged geometrical figures, a ledge surrounding said rectangles and figures and provided with an opening in alinement with a diagonal of said rectangles, game pieces movably arranged upon said base, a spring operated batting member pivotally mounted in alinement with said diagonal of the rectangles, and a piece adapted to be manually propelled through said opening in the ledge.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM G. FULTON. CONRAD W. BUSCH.

Witnesses:

EDWIN L. JOHNSON, F. BENJAMIN.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

